For a minute there, it seemed like the weekend could have been perfect: A three-game set against the hapless Tampa Bay Devil Rays at the Trop, a few Major Leaguers appear to enjoy.

And for the most part, it was. Tim Wakefield, the Guy Who Never Loses in Domes, did his thing Friday night, baffling the Devil Rays for six innings while winning his 12th game. Jon Lester left the game on Saturday with a 5-4 lead, putting it in the capable hands of Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon, Boston's It's Over (Drive Home Safely) Crew.

And then the wheels fell off, as Papelbon blew just his 2nd save opportunity in 25 games.

On Saturday, at least, the Red Sox got their act together, with Julio Lugo (officially a part of the Red Sox Cool Crew again) waited out bad pitching, drawing a bases-loaded walk off Brian Stokes (season ERA: 7.79) and Kevin Youkilis delivering the crushing blow, a three-run double to make it 10-6.

We all know Sunday didn't go so hot, though. Add the 5-2 loss to the list of games Daisuke Matsuzaka should have won, if he had only received some run support from his buddies with sticks.

APDice-K got jobbed out of another win on Sunday.

Much like he did in June, Matsuzaka threw zeros for six innings, only to watch Devil Rays ace (oxymoron, I know) Scott Kazmir match him. With one bad pitch to Dioner Navarro (who???), he lost the lead, the game and a chance at his 13th win.

We'll leave things at that for now, other than to say I randomly found myself in one of Washington D.C.'s Red Sox bars, The Rhino Bar & Pumphouse, on Saturday night.

Seriously, weird experience. Some friends and I couldn't get into a restaurant we were looking to try, I wandered across the street, and found myself face-to-face with a six-foot screen of men in dancing red socks and bartenders in Red Sox T-shirts. Immediately, my heart of black melted. Seeing after the fact that the place is on America's Official List of Red Sox Bars made me feel a bit silly, but hey: A find is a find, right?